His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves himalone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not removethe blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a man.
He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad mustcome into manhood on his own.The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wildbeasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do himharm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he satthere, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man...
Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appeared and he removed hisblindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on thestump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting hisson from harm.
We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, our HeavenlyFather is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When troublecomes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.
Moral of the story? Just because you can't see God, doesn't meanHe is not there.
'For we walk by faith, not by sight.'(2 Corinthians 5:7)
